If you’re thinking about going into rehab for alcohol or drug addiction—or are about to finish a drug treatment program—you’re making a critical step toward improving your life. But one concern that often comes up is how to stay sober after rehab. After all, when you’re in a drug treatment facility, you don’t have the option to use drugs or alcohol—but you might face the temptation once you’re done with rehab.
Fortunately, treatment centers like ours know the temptation is real, and that’s why we work hard to prepare you for your post-rehab life. In the meantime, consider these tips on how to stay sober after rehab.
After rehab, one of the first details to consider is where you’ll be living. If you’ve been at an inpatient facility and plan to go home, make sure no triggers are present once you return. Consider asking a friend or family member to check your house and remove any alcohol, drugs, paraphernalia, or anything that might tempt you to abuse substances again.
You have some options if you’re worried about living alone right after rehab. One is to move to a sober living house, where you can gradually get used to living your life again—this time without relying on drugs or alcohol. Often called a halfway house, a sober living community gives you a comfortable, home-like environment where you live with people who have overcome similar addictions. This way, you can provide and receive support as you figure out how to stay sober after rehab.
Another option is to move in with a trustworthy friend or even someone you met in rehab. As long as they have the same goal of staying sober and can support you in living a drug-free lifestyle, a roommate can help you ease back into life after you’re done with rehab.
One of the most important tips on how to stay sober after rehab is to continue the plan you followed in the treatment program. Whether you’ve been in inpatient therapy or have worked through outpatient sessions, you’re not expected to stop treatment once the initial program finishes. In fact, you’re highly encouraged to stay in some type of treatment program for as long as you need it, which may be several years for many people.
In most cases, your therapist will advise you to do outpatient therapy regularly to ensure you still get support to help you stay sober. And you’ll be urged to remain in close contact with your rehab center beyond therapy, too. For example, we have an Alumni Program that makes it easy for you to reach an entire network of support once you get sober. This program will get you the information you need about housing, therapy, follow-up calls, support groups, and aftercare options.
Knowing how to stay sober after rehab also means surrounding yourself with the right people. To start, you need to cut off all contact with dealers and anyone you used to abuse substances with. Otherwise, you could fall back into old, destructive habits with them.
But you don’t want to be alone as you get used to life without drugs or alcohol. You’re going to need support, so surround yourself with people who will help you reach your goal to stay sober. These might be friends and family members who urged you to get treatment for your addiction, or they could be people you met at rehab or in group therapy—who can relate to where you are in life. Either way, you need a group of people who enjoy fun things that don’t involve abusive substances.
A routine full of productive things will also keep your mood positive and your mind off alcohol and drugs. So as soon as you get out of rehab, make a plan to stay busy. Start by finding a job or going back to school. Being able to pay your bills, learn new things, and meet new people can help with your sense of self-worth and accomplishment. It can also reduce your odds of relapsing after rehab.
Your schedule should include healthy habits outside of work and/or school. One example is regular exercise. Not only is this a healthy habit that doesn’t involve drugs or alcohol, but it can also improve your mood by releasing endorphins that make you feel good. Plus, getting in a regular workout can reduce your stress and decrease your desire to use drugs. Including meditation in your schedule is another way to reduce stress and help you figure out how to stay sober after rehab. Reading, learning a new language, and letting your creative juices flow with arts and crafts can also help.
In fact, our treatment center offers many of these recreational activities through our experiential services. Look into these options if you’re thinking of starting a drug addiction treatment program.
Staying sober after rehab is possible. As long as you have access to evidence-based drug treatment services to help you quit your addiction, you have a good chance of staying sober long term. If this idea appeals to you, contact Transformations Treatment Center today to learn how we can help.
